It's alright, nothing brilliant or spectacular, it drags out in places and is never belly laugh funny, just chuckles here and there but for a druggie comedy was better than the run of the mill dross you usually get. Special mention should go to Alan Tudyk who needs to be in more films with fleshier roles than the support roles he gets at the moment.

Went this morning, and it was a toss up between this or The Heartbreak Kid due to time restrictions. I figured this would have fewer curious teenagers (both films were near empty, as it happens). I've liked the Frank Oz films I've seen in the past, in particular Bowfinger and Dirty Rotten Scoundrels. Death At A Funeral has that relaxed humour that Dirty Rotten Scoundrels had, but within an English family gathering setting. The music is what identifies it within the DRS style of film, although the story is very, very different, and not nearly as funny. It is funny, but on a different level, and tickling a different funny bone.

Matthew MacFadyen re-teams with his old Spooks co-star Keeley Hawes (who reminds me of an older Keira Knightley...) to form the central couple in an eclectically brilliant cast. Peter Vaughan as the curmudgeonly old uncle; Ewen Bremner as the friend trying to get an old one-night-stand to go out with him; Peter Dinklage as the stranger with a surprise; and, most brilliantly, Alan Tudyk keeping his American accent under wraps (better than Bremners does with his toff-accent anyway) as the hallucinating boyfriend of one of the nieces of the dead man. If The Farrelly brothers were to adapt a Jane Austen drama and set it today, it might be a little like this film.

The script is razor-sharp, and the acting is brilliant. The story is limited by its nature, with only one real surprise. There are narrative flaws, but these are forgiveable because you're having so much fun. rather than a bland lead, MacFadyen's character is imbued with a nice personality, with a believable sibling relationship with his brother. In fact, many of the familial relationships are believable - the only thing quirkier than this family is, probably, one's own.

If you're after a light laugh with a better script than a lot of comedies these days, then Death At A Funeral is a fun little film, It's not going to change the world, but these films frequently intend to. It does provide an hour and a half of solid entertainment, and a nice, warm, drug-addled, death-filled, funeral-disrupting comedy.

Acting: 7/10 - a nice bunch of thesps, with stand out performances by Tudyk. Kris Marshall (Nick from My Family) is always funny to watch, and Peters Dinklage and Vaughan nearly run away with the film. Script: 7/10 - for a limited location, the script is neat with a lot going on - probably things I missed too. It's not too taxing, but it's decent. Music: 6/10 - reminiscent of DRS, but nothing exceptional. The problem rating music with these sort of films is that it is really an accompaniment with no real dramatic input. Still, for what it is, it complements the film nicely. Directing: 7/10 - not Oz's finest film, but certainly a worthy entry to the canon. Success of Intent: 8/10 - this never intended to be more than a light farcical comedy, for a bit of light entertainment, and in that respect it delivers particularly well. Overall: 35/50 or

70%

< Message edited by homersimpson_esq -- 2/11/2007 3:31:39 PM >

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That deep-browed Homer ruled as his demesne.

Bristol Bad Film Club A place where movie fans can come and behold some of the most awful films ever put to celluloid.

If you analyse this too much it's a lot worse than it is. Jokes that involve mislabled drugs, crass old people and, as mentioned in the review, a potty joke, so not exactly bursting with originality. That said the cast is good (Ewan Bremners incredibly annoying character aside), there are a few laughs and the audience I was with laughed a lot more than me.

Unlike the other few reviewers so far I can't have even a middling reaction to this film, for it was one of the worst I've seen this year. Lots of cringeworthy gurning, breathless slapstick and idiotically contrived plot developments desperately wanting to capture the humour of the classic British farce but failing miserably.

The 'quirky' soundtrack from the outset is warning enough of the 'wacky' antics to follow and Matthew MacFadyen's speech at the end is an embarrassing attempt to inject some sentimental Americanised pathos. Otherwise interesting and talented actors - MacFadyen, the normally versatile Rupert Graves, Daisy Donovan, who can act even if this is a very bad choice of role - are wasted playing irritating hapless morons.

Unlike the other few reviewers so far I can't have even a middling reaction to this film, for it was one of the worst I've seen this year. Lots of cringeworthy gurning, breathless slapstick and idiotically contrived plot developments desperately wanting to capture the humour of the classic British farce but failing miserably.

The 'quirky' soundtrack from the outset is warning enough of the 'wacky' antics to follow and Matthew MacFadyen's speech at the end is an embarrassing attempt to inject some sentimental Americanised pathos. Otherwise interesting and talented actors - MacFadyen, the normally versatile Rupert Graves, Daisy Donovan, who can act even if this is a very bad choice of role - are wasted playing irritating hapless morons.

Avoid like a particularly bad plague.

Saw this yesterday as I was planning to see something else but arrived too late. It was awful.

I felt like I'd just died watching this and was having some sort of out of body experience as I watched other people laughing hysterically, dare I say "corpsing". It just seemed so dated and incredibly contrived, yes it is a farce but not in the sense it they would wish it was applied. It seems to have garnered some really good reviews but it left me cold.

This black farce is pretty funny and keeps the same tone throughout even though the jokes can be a little predictable. Director Frank Oz doesn't shun the gross-out humour when it's called for, but the real comedy comes from the characters' reactions to the goings-on, and everyone involved turns in a decent performance, having fun cooking up a storm. It's lowbrow humour with a highbrow delivery.

Initially this film felt like a sub-Four Weddings jaunt - lots of eccentric english characters spouting unfunny dialogue on their way to/ at a funeral with an irritatingly upbeat soundtrack telling us what jolly good fun it's all going to be - almost painfully bad.

But once the story kicks off properly I have to say I did find it hilarious at times even though it was a little predictable. Not all of the performances worked, Alan Tudyk was completely wasted, the guy who played the neurotic hypochondriac is plainly a shit actor and the ugly bloke who kept hitting on Daisy Donovan gave a truly annoying and pointless performance.

The rest of the Brit cast performed admirably as did the dwarf and all in all by the end of it I'd had a thoroughly enjoyable experience.

One of the funniest films of the year, probably second only to Two Days in Paris. Finally good to see a comedy that didn't rely on stoner slacker stereotypes that were unfunny and outdated twenty years ago.

Much cringing, and a fairly homophobic to be honset. My toes were curling into the carpet within ten minutes. If you watch it with the right crowd it's funny, but in a middling sort of way. The mediocre three stars is justified if you can forgive what might be an amusingly contrived anti-gay message, but is more likely just an immature running gag.

I rented this over the weekend, so I could watch it before the US remake comes out... and I thoguht it was hilarious.... namely Alan Tudyk who stole the show. Plus I never knew he could do such a good British accent.

I honestly don't get those who didn't find it funny, you miserable bastards!

Needed more Peter Dinklage though!

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"I put no stock in religion. By the word 'religion', I have seen the lunacy of fanatics of every denomination be called 'The Will of God'. Holiness is in right action and courage on behalf of those who cannot defend themselves."

I rented this over the weekend, so I could watch it before the US remake comes out... and I thoguht it was hilarious.... namely Alan Tudyk who stole the show. Plus I never knew he could do such a good British accent. I honestly don't get those who didn't find it funny, you miserable bastards!

Needed more Peter Dinklage though!

Totally agree. I'm not usually a fan of farce but thought this was really good fun. I giggled a lot at "It's touch and go. Touch and go"

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If God had wanted us to walk everywhere he wouldn't have given us Little Chefs.

I saw this and then saw the US Remake, which we both completely different. This version left me laughing right from the start, and i really enjoyed watching the funeral descend into chaos. There was some great characterisation from Alam Tudyk, who was really good as the drug-fuelled nervous boyfriend. Thiswas a fun british comedy that was a little weak in the sense that the main joke about the"Valium" was repeated so many times, but definitely worth four stars.

I saw this film recently and I have to say I found it hilarious. Mathew Macfadyen plays the straight-laced character rather well. Trying to keep it all together whilst things and people around him slowly unravel. I thought Alan Tudyk did exceptionally well and I too was impressed with his British accent. Probably the first American actor I've seen in a long while who can do a convincing British accent. I thought the Uncle Alfie character was funny but he was given dialogue which seemed anachronistic. Particularly the line "this beautiful girl in the village, everyone wanted to fuck her". I know the conceit is that an old guy who's supposed to be from a generation who are well-mannered and well-spoken would not use such a word nor expression, but it rang quite false with me. I too thought the toilet gag was gauche and didn't need to be there. There was probably too many uses of the words "fuck" and "fucking". I'm not a prude but when you excessively use them, they lose their effect and just become bland words. Peter Dinklage who's a very good actor was underused but it's great that he was in the film. I thought the film slowed a little in the middle but it became much more watchable and funny during the last act. Perhaps the screenwriter(s) thought of most of the funny bits towards the end of writing the screenplay.

Overall a very funny film with some great performances and deft comic timing. Although slightly let down by an undisciplined script.

LouisBond: don't be a bloody idiot. If you think this film has an anti-homosexual slant to it. Then I suggest you avoid all comedies and console yourself by lying down with a wet flannel.